Revisiting the work of Italian artist Ettore Spalletti (b.1940), Marian Goodman Gallery, Paris, presents听Ce qu鈥檌l y a de plus profond dans l鈥檋omme, c鈥檈st la peau (What is the most profound in a man, is the skin), an examination of the painter鈥檚 highly conceptual interpretation of form and being. Highlighting both the gallery space and topographical features which inspire the artist, painted squares of flat, gradient colour seemingly evolve, morphing from frozen studies to extended sculptures.
Spalletti鈥檚 pastel works defy physical borders, motioning away from both the frame they are found within, and the architecture they are placed inside. This limitless output reflects the subject matter, as the horizontal lines of Paesaggio听echo the serene Adriatic Coast which the artist is highly inspired by. The piece not only marks the countless possibilities of the painting鈥檚 surface, but also echoes the ceaseless, unbroken notion of time.
The process of revealing images, concerns a rigid, obsessive practice as the painter applies layer upon layer of paint at the same time of day, capturing a specific quality which reflects the ongoing progression of nature: the seasons, the weather and the amount of light available. The build-up is slowly removed, revealing what lies beneath and once again expressing a reminiscence of the artist鈥檚 other concerns as the work conveys the infinite range of textures and tones
Marian Goodman Gallery, Paris and听at the Librairie Marian Goodman, 66 rue du Temple,听20 April 鈥 26 May. Find out more
Credits:
1.听Salle des F锚tes, exhibition view, Mus茅e d鈥檃rt moderne et contemporain, Strasbourg, France, 1999. Photo credits: Attilio Maranzano.
